Chair



G. D. WOOD sept. 3o, 1941.

' CHAIR Fild Nov. 9, 1939 Patented Sept. O, 94

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,257,583 .I 1 l CHAIR Application November 9, 1939, Serial N 0.303,594

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in chairs and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The chair with which the present invention is more especially concerned is of the so-called easy or lounging type, used in homes and some times in oices and wherein the seat which is independent of the pivoted back rest, is capable of a forward and backward movement on the base. Heretofore in chairs of this kind, the seat moved in opposition to the back rest. That is, it moved forward and backward when the back rest moved backward and forward.

With such a chair, certain objections are present. For instance, when the occupant leaned back against the back rest to change occupants position against a cushioning action, the seat moved forward and carried the buttocks forward and this caused the body of the occupant to slump. Such a slump leaves the lumbar regions of the body unsupported so that an unnatural posture is induced in the body which not only cramp and retard the action of certain body organs, but also strains and tires the back. Also, such a relative movement between `the back rest and s-eat causes a drawing up and a wrinkling of the clothing which in turn produces an unkemp-t appearance for the occupant.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a chair of this kind which overcomes the objections heretofore present in chairs of the so-called easy or lounging type.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chair of this kind wherein the seat slides backward and forward with theY backward and forward swinging movement of the back rest.

A further object of the invention is to provide a chair of this kind which is of simple construction for low cost production and which requires no manipulation of any part of the chair by the occupant when seated therein to change the position of the seat and back rest.

Again, it is an object of the invention to provide a chair of this kind which is upholstered to harmonize with similar furniture in a home or oi'lice, with no parts visible to indicate the movable character of its seat and back rest.

The above mentioned objects of the invention as well as others, together with the advantages thereof Will more fully appear as the specification proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a bers 8-9 and IU respectively and at each side of the chair the base supports an upright hollow side arm II that extends into an elevation well above the seat. The hollow side arms, which may or may not be upholstered, are each connected to the associated side member of the base by a spacerV I2, as appears in Fig. 2. Along the inner surface of the top margin of each side member IU of the base is a side rail I3.

The seat includes a frame that is shorter from front to rear than the base and has side members I4--I4 and a rear end rail I5 and suitable padding and upholstery I6. The side rails I4 of the seat are so spaced apart laterally, as to be disposed in substantially the vertical planes of the side rails I3 of the base. The rear end member I5 of the seat is normally located in a vertical plane forward of that of the rear member 9 of the base, while the front end of the seat is normally disposed in the vertical plane of the front member 8 of the base. v

In the bottom 4portion of each side member I4 of the seat, toward the front and rear ends of the seat, are located recesses I 1 -I1, each of which receives an antifriction roller I8 having a peripheral rolling engagement on a track I9 provided therefor on each rail I3. Rollers I8 on opposite sides of the seat frame are connected together by a shaft 20. With the structure described, it is apparent that the seat is capable of a straight line, horizontal forward and backward movement on the tracks I9 carried by rails I3. To hold the seat down upon the rails and at the same time permit the forward and backward movement above mentioned, a spring 2| is located at each side of the seat. Each spring is xed at one end to the inner face of a side member I4 of the seat and is fixed at the other end to a pin 2Ia projecting inwardly from the associated side member I0 of the base.

Ther back rest 1, which is suitably upholstered, is Iprovided in its forward bottom portion with a recess 22 which appears in Fig. 1. A shaft 23 extends laterally through the said recess and the ends of said bottom portion of the back rest 'and where it is operatively secured to the back rest as a Whole and this shaft is suitably journalled at its ends in both side arms Il-I l. A pair of arms 24 is xed in spaced relation on the shaft 23., in the recess 22. One end of a link 25 is pivotally connected to each arm 24 and the other end of said link is pivotally connected to the back member l 5 of the seat frame.

Between each side of the back rest 1 and the side arms ll-II, is located a `device indicated" as a whole as at 26 and which devices funcf tion to cushion the rearward swinging movement of the back rest and to return thesame for.

.wardly. Said cushioning devices may be of the'j f kind shown in the Wood Patent 2,018,825 of October 29, 1935. As shown in Fig. =3, each 4device comprises a tube 21 closed at one end and there pivotally connected to the side of the back restv tween said nut and bushing 28..

In the use of the chair, the back of the. occupant is engaged against the backrest and the buttocks arev engaged upon thesea't. When `the occupant leansk backward, against the back rest the latter swings for rocks rearwardly. by reason of the vshaft 23 turning or rocking, counterclock- Wise as appearsin Fig. lfinlits end bearings. This action is cushioned by the reasonfof. the compression of the springsl 3|" in the devices 26. As the shaft 23 .so,rocks,vthe` .seat E, is Acaused vto slide or move rearwardly on thetracks I9, byreason of the arms 24 and links 25. When the pressure of the occupant leaning against the back rest is eased off, the springs 3| in the cushion devices `2S expand and pull or return the back rest forwardly. By reason of the .arm and vlink connection between the seat and the shaft ,2.3, the

seat is slid forwardly to the position limited by the cushioning devices and which position is the normal position of the seat wheny occupied.

. With the seat moving backward and'forWard,

in synchronism with thebackward and forward. movement of the back rest instead of moving inv opposition thereto as in'most of the so-called easy chairs, several advantages are present. While there is a change in the angular position between the torso and the legs of the occupant the occupant to assume a slumped position withv the resulting cramping of the;` internal organs .of-

the body. The chair is indeed comfortable to occupy becausethe body muscles are relaxed in-y stead of tensed as in a chair wherein rthe seat moves in opposition to the back.

The improved chair permits theoccupantto assum a somewhat reclining position and as the seat moves with the back rest instead of "against the back rest, the back rest adjusts itself to the position desired by the occupant and stays in that position.

While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

soI

` l. A chair embodying therein a supporting base, meansproviding a seat mounted on the base for a backward and a forward rolling movement, means providing a back rest, a shaft carried by said back rest means and J'ournalled at its ends in parts stationary with the base and whereby said back rest means is capable of a backward and a forward rocking movement, means operatively connecting the base and said back rest means for cushioning the backward swinging movement thereof and for imparting a r forward return movement thereto, yand means` operatively connecting said shaft and said seat comprising a crank` on the shaft and a pivoted link on the seat pivotally connected together for effecting a vbackward and forward rectilinear movement of the seat in the same direction simultaneously with the backrest.

2. A chairv embodying. therein va base, a seat mounted on said base for a backward and a forward movement, a back rest, a shaft carried by said back restnear the lower end of the back rest and journalled at its endsfin parts stationary with said. base and 'whereby said back rest is capable'of ...a-backward and a forward rocking movement, means connecting said base and said back rest for cushioning the backward movement thereofandY for causing. the forward return movement thereof, an arm carried by said shaft, and a Vlink connecting said arm and said seat for causing a. backward and a forward rectilinear movement of said seat with the backward and forward movement of theback rest.

. 3'.-A.chair lernbodyingtherein a supporting base, afseat mounted on vthe -base for a straight line backward and forward movement, a back rest in contact .with the seat, a shaft carried by the back rest and having its ends journalled in partsl stationary .withthe base whereby said back rest is capable of a backward and forward rocking movementa crank. on the shaft, a link pivotallymounted on the seat at one end and pivotallysecured at its other end to the crank, whereby upon rocking movement of the back rest rearwardly` the seat .willbe moved rearwardly and in contact with the back rest and uponrocking movement of the` backrest forwardly the seat .will be moved forwardly and in contact with the back rest and `resilient means secured to theA base and tothe back rest for restoring the parts to normal position.

- GLENNy D. WOOD. 

